Newbie

[Bigdaddy734]

Hello everyone! Just started up a 75 gallon tank, trying to cycle it now!!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Welcome to the community. Looking forward to seeing and hearing about what you are getting up to.

 

[Geoff-PA]

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Have you kept fish before?

What sort of fish were you interested in?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, discus, most tetras, most barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

 

[Bigdaddy734]

My PH is 7.6, I’m testing everyday while I’m trying to do a fish in cycle, I wish I had some seeded media

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Thanks a lot!! Any advice would be super helpful

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Thanks!

 

[pauldadams1984]

Thanks a lot!! Any advice would be super helpful

I am not sure if what I did was the right thing... But I have the same size tank.

Whilst cycling, I only filled the tank up by half. Saved massively on the volume of water that needed changing.

Although it does mean the ammonia isn't as diluted so it could be more dangerous for the fish, especially if being a bit lapse on WC.

Most important thing is daily testing and daily water changes. Be patient.

Use syphoning to remove water rather than via any filter valves where you have to turn the filter off.

Do not buy more fish until you're certain your tank is settled.

Any problems, message here straight away.

Always do research before buying any livestock

 

[Colin_T]

Don't bother testing for nitrates until you have finished cycling. Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading. Wait until the ammonia and nitrite have both gone up and then come back down to 0ppm before testing for nitrates.

If you use paper strips for testing, you can cut them in half (lengthwise) and get twice the number of tests.

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Today I had .25ppm ammonia and zero for both nitrates and nitrites!! Should Indo a water change or add more quick start

 

[Bigdaddy734]

I’m using the Master test kit! Today I have .25ppm ammonia not sure if I should do a water change or add more quick start

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Never kept fish before, and I’m looking for a semi aggressive community tank. I like the thought of having fish all over my tank! Thanks for the welcome also!! Glad to learn tons!

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Thanks!! Glad to be here

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Btw my PH has stayed at 7.6

 

[Aiken Drum]

I’m using the Master test kit! Today I have .25ppm ammonia not sure if I should do a water change or add more quick start

0.25ppm for ammonia is fine. Change water to bring it down if it gets above 0.5ppm.

 

[Bigdaddy734]

Thank you!!